The Best GPS For The Wild

If you’re an adventurer or frequent hiker (or something of a data nerd) then I’d recommend a dedicated handheld GPS for the backcountry. And I’d suggest you swallow hard and pay up for the Garmin Oregon 600, which is $400 or $480 when preloaded with American topographic maps. Why not a cheaper model? Because of the 600’s touchscreen, basically.

October 13, 2014:
After two hours of sniffing around and two interviews with GPS experts, we're confident that our previous picks remain the best for most people. That could change in January, when GPS companies might unveil new models at CES, but for now, the Garmin Oregon 600 and Garmin 62s remain the best.

April 10, 2014:
We talked to GPStracklog.com founder Rich Owings, who reviews all new handheld GPS units, and researched new GPS models from Garmin, DeLorme, and other manufacturers. We found two intriguing models (see competition section) but according to Owings and our own research, neither upstages our current picks.

While not as sharp as a smartphone’s screen, the 600’s screen is sharp. It’s also bright enough to read in Arizona sunlight, extra durable and controlled with familiar pinch-n-swipe gestures—things no other GPS can claim. About the size of a deck of cards and weighing 7.4 ounces, the gadget has all the features you need, starting with great satellite reception and decent 16-hour battery life. At least a couple of the features are overkill, but, well, if you want an easy-to-use GPS, then unfortunately you have to pay for a full-featured one.

Anyone who will regularly use a GPS in the snow or rain or on horseback may want our pick from last year. It’s not as good overall, but it’s cheaper, glove-friendly and storm-ready, thanks to old-fashioned buttons that control a non-interactive screen.

Why a backcountry GPS?

At heart, a backcountry GPS is nothing more than a little computer attached to an antenna. Intended for hikers, hunters, fishermen, rafters or other people traveling off-road, it replaces a map and compass as the primary tools for navigation and makes keeping track of landmarks unnecessary. A dot shows your place on a map, a line shows the route you’ve come and an arrow points toward your destination. Simple as that. A backcountry GPS is tougher than your smartphone, uses preloaded maps that don’t require a cell signal and is optimized to sip battery power so you can keep on keepin’ on. Of course it also uses topographic maps instead of the street maps that are loaded into an automotive GPS. So for “turn by turn” backcountry navigation, you choose the turn locations in advance, mark them with dots called waypoints, and then the GPS steers you from one waypoint to the next.

In addition to basic route finding like this, virtually all backcountry GPSs do the following:

• store gobs of location information (generally 10,000 waypoints and 200 tracks and all sorts of notes related to geocaching, a treasure-hunting game)• operate at least 15 hours per charge or set of batteries• add deep menus of various features• offer a one-year warranty• incorporate a barometric altimeter and electronic compass, which help pinpoint a location when storm clouds or thick forest prevent the GPS from locking onto satellites.

This last feature is arguably the most important because even if a hiker knows only his elevation and the direction he’s facing, then he can often sort out his location on the map. For example, imagine you’ve lost GPS reception in Moab, Utah and you’re unsure of which of two canyons you’re in. One canyon runs north-south, the other east-west. If you’re looking down the canyon and the electronic compass tells you you’re looking north, then even without GPS reception you know you’re in the N-S-running canyon. Or say the first canyon is 100 feet deep and the second only 50 feet deep. If your barometric altimeter tells you you’re 75 feet below the canyon rim, then even without GPS reception you know you’re in the 100-foot-deep canyon. These are crude examples, but you get the idea (if you didn’t already).

Backcountry GPSs stand out when they:

• offer smooth map scrolling and powerful processors that allow quick menu navigation• connect easily to powerful and convenient PC-based software• offer great maps• add bonus features that make them useful off the trail—in cars or boats, or on bikes, etc.• lock onto some 24 additional satellites known as GLONASS, which became usable in 2011.

GLONASS support is probably the most important standout feature for a typical user. Those additional satellites increase the odds that (or speed with which) a handheld GPS unit will be able to find the four satellites necessary to fix a position. A tree might block the lines-of-sight needed to get a fix via GPS satellites alone, for example, but not for those needed to get a fix from GLONASS satellites, which could be orbiting lower on the horizon or somewhere else more visible. I have yet to find a great independent proof of this, but studies from GPS makers and chip makers and other admittedly partial experts support it. “GPS/GLONASS dual-system antennas definitively offer a noticeable improvement in accuracy and performance,” claims Dermot O’Shea, managing director of GPS and GLONASS antenna maker Taoglas. Impartial, anecdotal evidence like this suggests that adding GLONASS reception can increase the speed of acquiring a location by 300 percent, which can shrink a wait from three minutes to one.

Garmin, Magellan, and DeLorme are the major brands. Many current models debuted a couple years ago, giving plenty of experts and users time to test, including Outside and Backpacker magazines, OutdoorGearLab.com, and GPStracklog.com.

Prices of GPSs range from $100 for a Garmin eTrex 100—with its fugly little black-and-white screen and arcane joystick controller—to $700 for a Garmin Monterra, which has a 4-inch touchscreen, built-in camera capable of shooting 1080p HD video, pre-loaded U.S. topo maps, and the ability to download Android apps via Wi-Fi.

Who should buy this

If you’re into geocaching or have owned and loved previous backcountry GPSs then skip down to our pick.

If you’re into geocaching or have owned and loved previous backcountry GPSs then skip down to our pick.

If you’re casually thinking about picking up your first backcountry GPS, then read on. If you’re a passionate cyclist, fisher, hunter, runner or even dog walker and you’re looking for a GPS, then you might want to shop around for one of the blossoming number of activity-specific GPSs.

If you’re just looking for a way to feel safer in the wilds and have been weighing a GPS versus an emergency beacon, know that beacons are another thing entirely. GPS help you navigate back to safety; Beacons like the Delorme InReach send SOS notices or emergency texts that help rescuers find you. We happen to think beacon technology has a ways to go; “They’re not quite there yet,” says Rich Owings, founder of GPStracklog.com. But beacons are not within the scope of this review.

I enjoy using a backcountry GPS, but if you’ve never used one, know that even an entry-level backcountry GPS is not the most intuitive gadget, with weird features often hidden deep in jargon-y menus. If ‘getting into GPSs’ doesn’t sound even remotely fun, then you should first try out an app. A smartphone, paired with a rugged case and a good app, more than suffices for most weekend warriors.

Smartphones and Apps

“If you’re talking about just getting out there and going for a hike,” says Andrew Matranga, cartographer and former map editor of Backpacker, “then apps is where it’s at.” Thanks to new apps and accessories and the inclusion of GLONASS antennas in the latest smartphones (iPhone 5s, 6/6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6, etc.), your phone is better than ever for basic functions like simply mapping your location. It’ll work great on day hikes, scrambles to hidden waterfalls, or that multi-day backpacking or raft trip you take once a year. It’s also far easier to use than a dedicated GPS.

The GPS in current high-end smartphones is about as fast and accurate as a dedicated backcountry GPS.

The GPS in current high-end smartphones is about as fast and accurate as a dedicated backcountry GPS. We have yet to see proof that they’re not. And the many GPS apps for iOS and Android are only improving.

The favorite seem to be the $5 Trimble Outdoors’ Navigator app, with yearly map subscriptions ranging from $10 to $30.

Outside’s 2013 Summer Buyer’s Guide touted the Trimble, saying “It doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as a dedicated GPS, and you’ll run out of juice sooner, but it turns your phone into a legitimate, reliable, backcountry-worthy route finder.” Matranga also likes it. “Trimble’s map editor takes a few hikes to get used to,” he says, “but if a user is at all experienced with Google Maps, it’s germane.” Says Outdoorgearlab.com tester Max Neale: “We’re in the process of testing the best smartphone app. The preliminary leader is Trimble Outdoors. It’s relatively cheap. You can download maps you want for an area. And it actually has pretty functional features—features that come with real GPS devices and aren’t found on other GPS apps.” The free 14-day “Elite” membership trial makes it easy to test out.

A quick trip around the block should be all that’s needed to get the hang of downloading and storing U.S. maps (maps of foreign countries aren’t offered) in your phone’s memory, tracking your route (push a single button), dropping a marker on the map (ditto), and saving a trip by uploading it wirelessly to Facebook or the community at trimbleoutdoors.com.

Why isn’t everyone using a smartphone?

Maddie Estrada, spokesperson for Garmin, concurs. “Mobile phone technology is almost there,” she admits, “but GPS wins first on durability and battery life.”

These shortcomings are easily solved of course. The app’s instructions or these guidelines explain how to get a couple days out of your phone’s battery. Our favorite USB charger, which weighs just over 10 ounces, guarantees at least two full days of use and can easily provide more. For protection, we recommend either the slender, waterproof Lifeproof Nuud case or the less waterproof but more shockproof Otterbox Armor case. With kit like that you’ll have no excuse for getting lost.

Of course, you miss some nice features of a dedicated handheld GPS–powerful programs for geocaching, the ability to use a variety of domestic and foreign maps, an altimeter to fall back on if your GPS stops working and more.

Our Pick

If you’re serious about charting and waypointing the unknown, then the Garmin Oregon 600 is the backcountry GPS to get. It has all the standard and advanced features of a great backcountry GPS, making it extremely versatile and unlikely to be rendered obsolete anytime soon. But most importantly, it has the best touchscreen display available.

If you’re serious about charting and waypointing the unknown, then the Garmin Oregon 600 is the backcountry GPS to get.

In bright sunlight, you can easily see the 240 x 400 pixel, color TFT screen–something also true with the expensive Monterra but not with any other touchscreen GPS, amazingly enough. The 3-inch-diagonal screen is large enough to offer a good field of view while still keeping overall weight at a very respectable 7.4 ounces. “Touchscreen units have had problems with visibility in the past,” says Owings. “The first generation of Oregon was horrible. The 500 series improved on that. The 600 series is a lot better.” Neale calls it “a huge advantage.” It makes navigating the menus more intuitive and using the maps easier.

Of course the 600 ticks all the boxes for standard features. It even improves on one—battery life. Rechargeable batteries last a respectable 16 hours. Other units last longer—up to 25 hours—but when batteries in the Oregon 600 die, you can swap in another pair or a pair of AA batteries while recharging the spent batteries via, say, a portable solar charger. Unlike less expensive GPSs, the Oregon’s battery life is essentially limitless.

Navigating from the homescreen to the main menu requires a simple tap, as does launching one of its programs, such as “elevation plot” or “waypoint manager.” When dragging a map around, the processor refreshes the view about as fast as a current smartphone.

Advanced features are too numerous to catalog and wonderfully customizable. You can create shortcut buttons on the main menu, for example. This allows you to switch between 3D view of a map and “go home” with the press of a single button. You can also build the ideal “trip computer” to chart your progress. You can fill the trip computer’s dashboard full of dials with any kind of statistics you want—from vertical speed to lap time. In the background you could have a “proximity alarm” running, ready to beep when you are within a specified distance of that Nepali teahouse you’re going to sleep in.

It’s also very versatile. Unlike the Garmin 62, for example, it comes preloaded with turn-by-turn navigation so you can use it as your car’s GPS, too. Other bonus features can be accessed without needing an advanced degree in GPS menu navigation, thanks to convenient, pre-programmed “Profiles” such as “recreational,” “automotive,” “fitness,” “motorcycle” and “marine.” In the marine setting, for example, you can set an anchor drag alarm that will beep if your boat drifts further than a set point. Cheaper models, such as the Magellan 710, aren’t as versatile.

Bluetooth pairing makes it easy to connect to the free Garmin BaseCamp app on your phone or computer, where you can plot new routes, review old ones and share them. It also takes the versatility to another level—allowing you to pair the Oregon with a heart rate monitor, useful for jogs or fast hikes; a temperature sensor, useful for fishing or mountaineering; or a bike cadence monitor, useful for training.

The quality of the maps, whether satellite imagery or topographic, domestic or foreign, are beyond question. “Garmin uses Navtech data,” says Matranga. “That’s the best map data in the world.”

The Experts Agree

Few editorial and user reviews have appeared yet, but first impressions are flattering.

“It’s a super sweet unit,” says Matranga, who used it for a month.

“The new Oregon 600 series is better than any other GPS unit out there,” says Neale, who is in the middle of testing.

“The Oregon 6xx is a game changer,” wrote Owings on gsptracklog.com, after using it for two months.

The Oregon 600 has a few flaws, of course. While a decent value in the world of GPSs, it’s crazy expensive compared to most gadgets. The touchscreen is annoying in bad weather—raindrops can launch apps but winter gloves can’t. And Garmin, like other GPS makers, still feels fine using baffling jargon. Should we really be expected to know the meaning of a button labelled “Avoidance Setup”? Would it be so hard to ease the learning curve with built-in help menus and pop-up explainers?

All in all, the Oregon 600 is hardly perfect. But it’s much closer to perfection than other backcountry GPSs, and most of those improvements serve the noble purpose of alleviating technological headaches. We appreciate that more than ever when we’ve chosen to tromp or float or ride away from civilization.

Wait. What’s the Oregon 650t?

The Oregon 600 series is actually four models: the $400 Oregon 600, $480 Oregon 600t, $480 Oregon 650, and $550 Oregon 650t. We say go with the straight 600—no “t” and 50 nothing. The explanation is straightforward but requires a sec.

First, the amount of memory differs unit-to-unit but is irrelevant. MicroSD cards will easily top off your memory. The big differences are that the 650 comes with an 8-megapixel camera and the “t” models come with 1:100,000-scale topo maps of the U.S. preloaded.

The upsell for the 650 is weak. The flat colors and minimal controls of the camera do not do justice to once-in-a-lifetime mountaintop views. We’d rather put the $80 toward gas or new lenses for our existing cameras.

The pitch for the “t” version is not exactly compelling either. The “t” maps probably aren’t detailed enough to be everything you need, but even if they are, then you can download them all later from Garmin for $100, just $20 more than you pay to get them preloaded. Or you can download them piecemeal for free, via the USGS.

What you really want are 1:24,000-scale maps.

What you really want—at least if you plan on scrambling off-trail at all—are 1:24,000-scale maps, which show contour lines every 40 feet of elevation change. And no matter whether you buy the 600t or 650t these will not be included. Garmin sells 1:24,000 map downloads or SD cards for $100 per region—Pacific Northwest, Mid-Atlantic, etc.—on its website. You’ll probably want to buy your home region, though an industrious and thrifty map geek could download them bit by tiny bit via the USGS.

The takeaway? We suggest people go for the Oregon 600 and follow Neale’s advice. “Get free baseline maps online,” he says, “then buy the more detailed 1:24,000 scale if you want.” Grab the 600 and spend a bit of money or time acquiring maps later and you’ll end up with a hell of a cartographic library on a pretty darn great GPS.

A Step Down

Easier to use in the cold and wet and while moving, but trickier otherwise.

Our former pick, the 4-year-old $240 Garmin 62s is growing a bit long in the tooth and is supposedly replaced by the $400 Garmin 64s, but it’s still great, especially if you’re on a budget. It covers all standard and advanced features and the price is only dropping. Its big selling point is its half-dozen buttons, which are easy to press when wearing gloves or when your hands are wet. If you’re a sea kayaker or mountaineer or rainforest hiker or mountainbiker who wants to mess with a handlebar-mounted GPS while riding, then those simple buttons will prove a boon. Partly thanks to a smaller, more pixellated 2.6-inch screen, the 62s’s battery also lasts a lot longer–a claimed 20 hours instead of 16.

One former selling point has changed: reception. The 62s’s external antenna connects to GPS satellites more quickly and strongly than its contemporaries, but it doesn’t look like it trumps the newer Oregon 600. “I don’t think reception is going to be an issue between the 62s and the Oregon,” Owings told me. “For the adventurer in a slot canyon or jungle, then maybe the 62s might have better reception than the Oregon 600. But for the average person, it’s not going to,” Neale said.

Also, the 62s doesn’t pair with devices like heart-rate monitors, nor can it replace an in-car GPS. You have to pay extra for turn-by-turn on-road navigation, and given the small screen, you probably won’t want to.

Long-Term Test Notes

After two hours of sniffing around and two interviews with GPS experts, we’re confident that our previous picks remain the best for most people. That could change in January, when GPS companies might unveil new models at CES, but for now, the Garmin Oregon 600 and Garmin 62s remain the best.

John Stanley, GPS expert at 10-million-member geocaching.com, has used three dozen GPS models since buying his first handheld GPS in 1995. He says, “The Oregon 600 is what I prefer for geocaching and hiking and outdoor activities. People who don’t like touch sensitivity and prefer buttons tend to go toward the Garmin 60 series, which is also great. When it comes to the 64 vs 62, if you’re not a geocacher, if you’re just an outdoorsman, then I’m not sure if the 64 justifies its higher cost.” He adds that the Delorme InReach holds a lot of promise but still isn’t a go-to unit. “Even with the most expensive plan for the InReach, you only get updates of your position every two minutes. So on a long expedition, it’s useful. But trying to record a trail, it’s not as effective as a classic GPS like the Oregon.”

The Competition

As mentioned, no other backcountry GPS screen matches the Oregon 600’s. Even sadder, the competition fails to measure up in other ways, in part because so many models are three or four years old.

The cheaper Magellan eXplorist 610 and 710 compete in many ways and come with maps for 200 countries. But they can’t pair with Bluetooth or ANT+ devices, Mac computers can’t be used to update their software, and the screen is dimmer and jankier.

The dim screen on the previous version of the Oregon, the 450 and 550 series, washes out in direct sunlight. When this was released in 2009, users accepted poor visibility in exchange for a touchscreen, but in 2013, it’s tough to spend roughly $300 on a device that you have to shade with your hand to read.

The Garmin eTrex 30 (discontinued as of 2015) can run for 25 hours on two AA batteries (almost double the Oregon 600) but has a small standard screen controlled by less-intuitive buttons and a joystick. Maps scroll slower and data downloads via a slower USB connection.

The $250 Garmin eTrex 20 suffers the same shortcomings. Outdoorgearlab.com rated it a best buy in 2011 and it is the best-selling handheld GPS on Amazon, with 300 customers giving it an average score of 3½. But these days, the eTrex 20 is just a smartphone with a bad screen, slow processor and steeper learning curve.

The eTrex 10 hardly deserves a critique. The thing lacks an altimeter and compass and employs a screen with the optical resolution of a cheese grater.

The DeLorme PN-60 (discontinued as of 2015) comes with maps preloaded but offers only a small screen, has buttons that are too cramped to use with gloves, and sends data to Macs only when they’re running Windows. “We weren’t impressed,” said Neale, reviewing the PN-60 in 2011.

The $400 Garmin 64s is an interesting, expensive new option for hardcore GPS users. “The big changes between the 62s and that 64s are smart notifications, Glonass support, 250,000 pre-loaded geocaches, and maybe a little faster processor,” says Owings. Of those improvements, the smart notifications are most enticing. Unlike the 62s, the 64s can forward text messages from an iPhone to the unit. But it doesn’t work with Android and those little perks add $150 to the 62s’s price—too much. Five Amazon customers currently rank the 64s 3.2 out of 5.

The recently released $650 Garmin Monterra has a nice screen but otherwise sucks, as we predicted. Says Owings: “It’s going to be able to do some interesting things in the future, but it’s very bugy and there have been only a couple firmware updates and they haven’t addressed all the issues. Anyone who buys a Monterra is essentially paying a lot of money to be a Garmin beta tester.” Twelve Amazon reviewers agree, scoring the Monterra 3.6.

No backcountry GPS released in the last couple years has impressed us as much as the Oregon 600.

What to Look Forward to

That could change. We’re not alone in wondering when someone will build a GPS with a satellite data link. “Delorme is concentrating on their satellite communicator, the InReach,” said Owings. “It’s a nice unit. I wouldn’t be surprised if they come out with a communicator/GPS in the next year.” We’ll keep our fingers crossed. We’d welcome the chance to have something like the Oregon that could also send SOS signals, text messages, and more.

Wrapping it Up

The Garmin Oregon 600 is the first touchscreen GPS that we can get excited about. And the unit itself comes packed with all the features a frequent hiker could want. We’d welcome a simpler, cheaper unit with the same screen or a vastly more powerful version with a built-in communicator. But for now, we’ll use our smartphones or opt for the Oregon.

Sources

Max Neale, Phone Interview, Outdoorgearlab.com, 6/14/2013

"The Oregon 600 series is the best all-purpose GPS. The new screen. The updated user interface. Those are huge. I had a buddy in Alaska, he had to remove his glasses to see his GPS. He got snowblindness. Not everyone is hiking on glaciers, but the new screen, it's way easier to see, it's a huge advantage. To begin with, GPS screens totally suck. They're way behind the smartphone, like five years. This is one step up. For the hardcore people, in a slot canyon or a jungle, then maybe the map 62 might have better reception. But for the average person not. And this is smaller, lighter, easier to use. One of the major improvements in the Oregon is the upgraded track feature. When I go on trip, I'll make a route that I intend to follow and will also make options to bail, in case I get fogged out or whatever. I can manage those tracks way better than before. The Oregon is better than any other GPS unit out there. It's still not world class. It doesn’t have an iPhone 5 screen. But it’s the best available."

Q: Aside from ruggedness and long battery life and geo-caching-related stuff, what features does a user miss when navigating with an app instead of a dedicated handheld GPS?
A: A user doesn't really miss anything other than what you've mentioned. Those are the big ones. Most apps have made it one-button simple for a user to start mapping a trip, and it's way easier to upload data because it's a wireless process. If anything, I don't miss having to plug in my GPS to my computer. Not one bit.

Rich Owings, Phone Interview, gpstracklog.com, 6/7/2013

"Garmin released a really big unit, the Montana—huge, bigger than most people want—a couple years ago. The new Oregon has borrowed a lot of firmware from that one. It’s not like it’s something we haven’t seen before. The form factor has been very popular. It’s definitely one of best-selling product lines. Essentially, they’ve taken that more sophisticated software and feature set and married it to a Gorilla Glass-esque screen."

Maddie Estrada, Phone Interview, Garmin, 6/12/2013

"Mobile phone technology is almost there but GPS wins first on durability and battery life. Also, my phone is expensive, if I drop it in the water, it’s a goner. The Oregon—you can drop it in a puddle and stomp all over it. Pack your phone away, keep it in a safe place or waterproof bag and you don’t have to worry about it. Personally, I think it’s nice to be disconnected from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram."

Originally published: July 14, 2013

Fred Beiderbecke

Any suggestions on a GPS logger to be used with Lightroom?

Chris Ruddy

+1

Chris Ruddy

Something small and accurate with a great battery life; doesn’t need a screen.

Tim_Horton

You could try one of the Bad Elf units if you have an ios device, then export to GPX file and import to LR. About 150$ on Amazon but *should* work.

Ben Hartshorne

I’m sorry, though I’ve agreed with your assessment in every other category, in this case, your top recommendation should be the Garmin 62s. The Oregon’s touch screen is inaccurate, can’t be used with gloves, and the UI flow is horrible for the most common tasks you want in the back country. On the other hand, the 62s has longer battery life, is just as rugged, can be used in adverse weather, and exposes necessary features with physical buttons rather than buried menus. The Oregon may be a fancier device, but the 62s is a better tool, and when you’re out for days on end or in tricky spots, what you need is a reliable tool rather than pretty touch screens.

Anonymous

Yeah I agree. My experience with the Oregon series (not sure if it was the newer model though) has been that they get slightly better reception than the eTrex but are not as good as the 62S under trees or in areas with difficult topography.

Anonymous

I’ve used a 76sx (or csx) for weeklong canoe camping trips in the boundary waters (the 76 is the marine version of the 60/62; it floats) and can at least recommend it for ruggedness and convenience on the canoe. For that reason, it at least seems like the waterproof Montana 600 should receive some mention. Particularly as a huge part of canoe camping in the BW/Quetico is actually using a map and compass to navigate to the right channel/portage/ campsite. And waterproofness is also important backpacking; if you go hiking in, say, the Smokies, you will almost certainly be hiking in steady rain for one or two solid days in a week.

I haven’t used the Oregon or the Montana, and I would really like a touchscreen and an easier-to-use interface than my 76 has. But I’m not at all surprised to hear that Garmin has come out with yet another touchscreen device with a bad interface and dodgy touchscreen. Which is probably why these ancient products (the 62 is an updated 60, which I think must be 15 years old) are still being sold.

Eric Hansen

Hey Ben, I gotta disagree with a couple of your points about the Oregon. The folks I talked to thought the touchscreen was accurate and the UI smooth. And my experience jibed with theirs. Are you sure you’re talking about the new Oregon, the 6xx? If you’re talking about the old version, then I don’t disagree at all.

Anonymous

You can get the Oregon 600 for $400 on rei.com and have the added benefit of REI’s lifetime guarantee. REI members will get a refund of 10% or so on the price in the form of a dividend at the end of the year.

Anonymous

I talked to someone at Garmin and I was informed there isn’t a significant difference between the antennas used. I’ll believe Garmin until someone shows me a test using multiples of the same models.

Russ

My GPS unit for pedaling the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) must have the internal memory to upload 10,000 track points, downloaded from Scott and Paulas GDMBR, and a micro SD card that will upload the tiles for the entire 2700 mile route, otherwise, I’ll have to pack a laptop to enter new route segments, can’t do that.. The Garmin 600 and 650’s have this capability; however they have a touch screen that goes bananas in the rain. Which leaves me with no option but to stash a laptop somewhere at the halfway point and use an older button activated GPS. It’s a sin for Garmin to manufacture GPS units with only a 10,000 track point capacity and that go BS when hit with a raindrop

http://thewirecutter.com/ tony kaye

This is what our lead researcher had to say about this!

“As the review says, I wouldn’t use the Oregon if I was often out in the rain, but it’s worth noting that tapping the power button allows you to lock the screen. Raindrops can fall on it like the the fingers of a thousand Reiki masters and nothing will happen. Then you can dry it off, unlock it, and easily enter new data. All in all, it’s not the easiest thing to use in bad weather, as we say, but it’s also not a lump of coal.”

-Eric

Hope this helps!

http://www.mixologic.com Ryan Aslett

Just wanted to point out one inaccuracy

“Also, the 62s doesn’t pair with devices like heart-rate monitors” – as a result of a software update you can now pair the 62s with ANT+ devices. See this list for compatible devices: http://www.thisisant.com/directory/gpsmap-62s

I’ve had my 62s for five years now, and it has been absolutely indispensable for backpacking, cycle touring, and kayaking. The UI is archaic and crufty, but once you learn its idiosyncrasies you forget how unintuitive it is.

Sod

How does the Montana 600 conpare to the Oregon600

Andrew Bearman

The app EveryTrail is a decent free app that has recently added tracking features that improve on its performance. Best for day or so hikes, but still very useful, since the downloaded maps (often the PDF version of what you find in local/state/nat parks) remain on your machine for referencing off signal.

Joachim Geeraert

This needs updating:

Of course, you miss some nice features of a dedicated handheld GPS–powerful programs for geocaching, the ability to use a variety of domestic and foreign maps, an altimeter to fall back on if your GPS stops working and more.

it’s just plain wrong

http://thewirecutter.com/ tony kaye

See under “The Competition”

Jakewwa

Can someone please supply a link on how to download/upload USGS 1:24K quads to Garmin GPS? I can get the GeoPDF, but I doubt that’s the data file required by Garmin. Thanks.

For me, the rain drop and wet hand issues greatly concerns me, and has prevented me from purchasing.

Jakewwa

I think the review is incomplete without comparing the software. I spend many hours researching, virtual exploring, and planning the mission with my PC before I go to the field. I need up to date maps (especially aerial), map overlay, geocaching info (both OpenCache and Geocaching), photos from panoramio, add waypoints with links, images, and notes. Having a weather overlay would be nice too, with forecast. After being the field I like to go back to the PC to debrief and report my mission. I want to upload geotagged images and detailed notes. All this needs to be very well organized, intuitive, seamless, and smooth. Since I spend a lot of hours on the PC planning for a mission, the software is more critical than a working GPS.

I have Delorme Topo and I’m not very fond of it. Garmin Basecamp: I spent sometime with a very limited demo and the only thing I like is cloud storage and the ability to add notes to a geotagged photo. I use Geocahing.com, and Garmin limits you to OpenCaching.com. Magellan Vantage Point seems the most capable. I do wish I can add notes to the images. It appears organized better. Wish Vantage Point could overlay both aerial and topograpic. DigitalGlobe doesn’t have the better resolution that Google Earth does.

I’m leaning more to Magellan because of the software…but I’d like to spend a lot more time with the software and use the GPS before I make a serious investment.

http://thewirecutter.com/ tony kaye

We tend to cater to the ‘everyday person’ and not the hardcore user. This is something we picked for ‘most people’. You sound more like an expert/tinkerer/explorer

PublicEnemy2u

I own a Etrex legend and a nuvi. i just ordered a montana 600 referb for under $400.
I have spent many, many hours making my decision. I also use my casio commado and on my tablet I use Dual Sport maps and Back Country Navigator. My $10 Back Country navigator progam on a Samsung Tab2 makes it it extremely easy to download tracks from other Adventure motorcyclists and has an weather radar overlay.

Timple

Or buy a Nokia N8 2nd hand (£60) and load up the Viewranger app (free). The unit is very strong (old school Nokia) and the battery is easily replaceable. It also has a good camera for your trip photos.

don kelelher

NOT good!!! used it for extreme trail riding. It loses its location by thousands of feet… It makes up the return path when it suddenly gets a bad point – across an impassable stream in my case. Showed me riding back accross and eventually mreging with whare I really was. Have more that one gps thank god.
Forget Bluetooth – it is only for the people at Garmin

http://thewirecutter.com/ tony kaye

Hi Don. Here is a direct response from our researcher!

“I’m sorry to hear about his miserable experiences. A couple thoughts…

It sounds like he’s having tracklog errors. A few early adopters experienced them last year, but as Rich Owings says, if he’s running the latest firmware, he shouldn’t be having any problems, let alone life-threatening ones. Dampness and dew should also not cause the screen to stop working. Sounds like he might have a defective unit and should contact Garmin. As for the Oregon’s bluetooth, I agree. It could be more powerful. Of course it could also be worse or non-existent, as with other models.”

-Eric

Don

Garmin was contacted. The firmware was the latest.

Note the battery life is closer to 4-6 hours depending on camera use.

It is dangerous to rely on it at all

tim

The other really useful feature is the ability to download maps from open street map thorugh a variety of services easily found online and load them onto the GPS or micro SD card. This gives you excellent routable maps worldwide for free which are suitable for hiking biking or driving. Not exclusive to this model but it really expands the utility.

Donovan

PRO TIP! Cut a small, thin piece of plastic (like from clamshell packaging) and place it directly on top of the little rubber nubbin, and directly below your favourite brand of NiMH battery. Your Garmin Oregon 600 will, as if by magic, see your regular batteries as one of their overpriced “battery packs.”

http://www.zef.de/staff/He_Yin Arc RS

Anybody has any idea about the bluetooth of Oregon 650? I just couldnt pair it to my Mobil (android) or laptop.

Jakewwa

I really hang on the “For the adventurer in a slot canyon or jungle, then maybe the 62s [64] might have better reception than the Oregon 600″.

If I’m in the “wild” or the “backcountry”, which I would consider an “adventurer”, I would think reception and knowing my locations trumps all. It is like having a fancy cell phone, but spotty reception; in which I rather have a plain phone with solid reception. With the 64 you can attach a high gain external antenna, and perhaps better reception if a signal exist. I’m hoping reviewers could test the 64 with and without a high gain external antenna. It may not be the pick for “mainstream wild”, but would be an interesting test.

Ted S

I’m not sure I’ll trust Garmin again.

The Garmin GPSmap 62S I bought two years ago has been “iffy” from day one. After a couple firmware upgrades, it kept getting worse and very flaky when connecting to DC power supply (kept thinking it was connecting to a computer and going into mass storage mode). The arrow keys quite often didn’t work or responded very slowly. Just last week it wouldn’t connect to my computer at all. After several email exchanges with Garmin support, they told me I need to send the unit in for repair at a cost of $110 plus shipping. I must not be the only one having problems because Cabella’s and other local stores are getting rid of these for around $150 when I paid about $500 for it! Got to be a better GPS than this junk!

http://thewirecutter.com/ tony kaye

That sounds really bad. Not a huge fan of this but try bringing attention to this on their social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook). Also mention the other people with the same problems. Co’s are often quick to help you in order to save face publicly.

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